2A1 Bolt Problem (Closing)

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Highpower	2A1 Bolt Problem (Closing)	Lead	[-]
Posts: 991 (06/07/09 05:33 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None OK Enfield experts...... I have a question (or two). I have here (a friends) Isshy 2A1 (.308) that has a problem with feeding and extracting. First problem I found was that the rifle has the wrong extractor installed - No1, Mk III (.303) and that whomever installed it did quite a bit of grinding on it trying to get it to work. Of course since it had the wrong part installed, it buggered up the extractor slot in the barrel as well. I've cleaned up the slot the best I can, and swapped the bolt head (with the correct extractor) from my rifle onto his. The problem I see now is that the bolt won't close on an empty chamber due to the outer portion of the extractor hitting almost inside the chamber! Which is what buggered up the barrel/extractor slot in the first place, because of the wrong extractor installed. The bolt is a rather sloppy fit in the receiver, but even when pushing the bolt head to the right side - the extractor isn't catching enough of the ramped slot to push the extractor away from the bolt head. So (I think) I have one of two problems..... either the extractor is being pushed in too far by the extractor spring -or- the front receiver ring/barrel is tweeked to the left, causing the bolt to be mis-aligned with the barrel. Soooooo...... is either one of these conditions plausible and/or common in these rifles? I have a new extractor coming from Numrich, but I have a feeling that alone is not going to solve the problem. Anybody "been there -- done that"? --------------------------- He who lives by the sword, should go out and get a really nice sword.
shotout		#1	[-]
Posts: 16 (06/07/09 06:03 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	If I am not mistaken the bolt head has to be fitted to the rest. Unlike the size variation with the #4's. I think you will have to try several before you get a match. If you get one ever. Yes, If the barrel is off center to the receiver, it's a no-go. If you remove the wood there should be some timing"line up" marks on the barrel and receiver. It could have more than one on each, but you should have one on each part that lines up. I have two 2A1's and the bolt heads will not interchange. Also, check the little screw in the right side of the bolt head. If it is not screwed in good it can do some damage and if it is out far enough you would not be able to remove the bolt at all.shotout/skd
Highpower		#2	[-]
Posts: 994 (06/09/09 08:15 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Thanks, but the bolt head isn't the problem. It is where the tip of the extractor is contacting the the barrel. It hits too close to the chamber opening and has developed a flat spot there, and the extractor is not camming outward on the ramped portion of the extractor cut. The clock position of the extractor cut is fine, therefore I believe the barrel indexing is OK as well. The extractor screw (side of the bolt head) is also correctly installed and not causing a problem. If I were to place a shim between the extractor and the bolt head to hold the extractor out slightly, the bolt would most likely close normally. I'm waiting to see if the new extractor I ordered has a little "extra" thickness, in order to adjust just how far the hook sets in the bolt head. If not - I may have to end up replacing the barrel. Then again, if the receiver is tweeked that isn't going to help either.... I was hoping maybe someone has run across this before. Brian Dick -- you out there buddy??? --------------------------- He who lives by the sword, should go out and get a really nice sword.
temperflash		#3	[-]
Posts: 400 (06/11/09 03:07 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The bolt is a rather sloppy fit in the receiver While looking into issues of the No.5 I found that Enfield receivers had been found to spread at the rear walls after much hard use, and I expect overloads could cause the same thing. I have a No.4 that is tight as a hatband in every other way but the fit of the bolt to the rear receiver is loose enough to allow vertical play. The rear sight mounting also is spread further than I would think to be normal. The No.5 receivers that spread could sometimes shear the rear sight locking pin completely according to the article writen by an Armorer who worked on many of these in Asia. I've been considering putting this No.4 receiver in a vice to try to tweak it a bit for a closer fit to the bolt (which is unworn). A 2a in good condition may be safe as houses, but they were used under extreme conditions, and ammo quality may not have been the best, so a receiver subjected to extreme pressures might well have been distorted.
Highpower		#4	[-]
Posts: 995 (06/14/09 06:25 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	temperflash, Thank you for that information. It looks like the right rear receiver wall is bowed out a bit on this rifle, and from the wear pattern appears to be as you pointed out, caused by hard use of the rifle. temperflash wrote: I've been considering putting this No.4 receiver in a vice to try to tweak it a bit for a closer fit to the bolt (which is unworn). If you do try that, please let us know how it works out for you? I would really like to know the results. At any rate..... It turns out the replacement extractor from Numrich did the trick on my friends 2A1 rifle! The new part has an extended nose on the "hook" that reaches well outside the chamber and contacts the barrel a good 1/16" farther out than the factory extractor from my 2A rifle does. Almost as if someone had run across this problem before, and re-designed a longer extractor to combat the problem.... Even though the factory extractor works ok on my 2A rifle, it is still very close to contacting the chamber rim. Needless to say, I'm ordering another one of these extractors for my rifle right away! Cheap insurance. --------------------------- He who lives by the sword, should go out and get a really nice sword.